21 Dining Room Accent Wall Ideas to Spice Up Your Next Dinner Party

Choose the Right Wall

If you're not sure which wall should be designated as the accent wall, choose the one that's facing you as you enter the space, says designer Fanny Abbes of The New Design Project.

"This will create the biggest impact and add a bit of interest to the overall design," she says.

Make It Classic with Paint

While wallpaper can make a chic statement, there's nothing wrong with using paint for the accent wall.

"For the most cost-effective high-impact moment, painting is a perfect choice," Abbes says. "Budget permitting, you can also incorporate faux wall finishes such as limewash or Roman plaster to give a bit of texture."

Keep It Subtle

Choose a subtle wallpaper to add a hint of texture that complements other features like furniture, mirrors, and lighting.

Even a more simple accent wall like this one adds extra personality to this neutral dining room.

Paint It Pink

Don't be afraid to use a bold paint color in a neutral space. 

"When adding an accent wall to a dining room, you want to ask yourself what mood you want to create with this addition," says interior designer Larisa Barton of Soeur Interiors. "Not all dining rooms crave formality, so have fun with it. A vibrant color can be a nice contrast to more serious furniture and get the party going."

Go Geometric

"Accent walls can be harder than one might think," says Megan Hopp of Megan Hopp Design, who designed the space shown here. "It might seem like an easy way to add a dose of design without committing to a full space, but so often accent walls can feel disjointed or like a hodge podge if not executed with clear coordination and finesse."

For example, Hopp says to "make sure something about your accent wall coordinates to the other pieces in your dining space, be it a color story, architectural feature, shape, pattern, or texture."

In this dining room, Hopp opted for black-and-white wallpaper with a geometric pattern "to anchor the dining furniture and coordinate with the triangular shape of the table and chair legs as well as the color of the black leather upholstery," she says.

Think About Lighting

The amount of light a particular dining space receives may influence the direction you wish to go regarding an accent wall, Abbes says.

"In a room flooded with natural light, you might lose the impact of a beautiful moody accent wall—especially if installed directly opposite a light source because harsh daylight can wash colors out," she notes.

Say Yes to Texture

Bring on the texture. "I find textured walls fascinating," Abbes says. "You somehow feel compelled to touch them and the experience becomes more than just visual."

Mix and Match Wallpaper

In this maximalist style dining room pool house from Maestri Studio, a geometric tile backsplash and a wall of patterned wallpaper create a double accent wall corner that is tied together with bold blue paint on the cabinetry and trim.

Coordinate With Lighting

Hang a large pendant light that stands out against accent wallpaper to create a coordinated look, like this space from Living With Lolo.

The formal crystal chandelier adds contrast with the patterned blue wallpaper, but the curved tiers of the light fixture complement the wavy pattern.

Embrace a Theme

Abbes loves how wallpaper can add so much character to a dining space.

"If you are leaning into a theme such as floral or geometric, wallpaper is the best way to incorporate these types of patterns into the design," she says.

Add Storage Solutions

Bookshelves placed in front of a wallpapered accent wall add even more visual interest to the graphic black-and-white accent wall on this side of the dining room from Living With Lolo, while also providing storage and display space.

Bring on the Black

If you like the idea of adding a pop of black into your dining space, interior designer Hema Persad says to go for it.

"I love a dark and moody dining room so don't be afraid of black, even if it's just one wall," she says. "Add a statement piece of artwork and a unique credenza to make it a focal point behind the table." In this dining room, white wainscoting adds contrast that makes the matte black wall pop.

Hang Bold Modern Wallpaper

Update your dining room with bright wallpaper in a modern multicolored floral pattern for a fresh take on a classic.

Michelle Berwick Design pulled colors from the accent wall for seating and kept the rest of the elements neutral.

Try Board and Batten

Add subtle dimension to a neutral space with a board and batten wall. This neutral dining room from Louis Duncan-He Designs includes a board and batten accent wall with a pair of sconces and a frameless abstract landscape painting to create a focal point.

Use Two-Tone Paint

Use paint to add architectural interest to a dining room accent wall. Louis Duncan-He Designs used two shades of blue to add a colorful painted dining room accent wall with a trio of arches that create a focal point that works around the high-placed windows while creating a focal point.

Mix Soft Pastels

Create a soothing atmosphere with a dining room accent wall in shades of pink and soft gray.

Marie Flanigan Interiors chose an abstract floral pattern that ties in with the room's soft color palette, pale wood dining table, and sculptural decor accents and lighting.

Install a Living Wall

A living wall will add a pop of green to your dining room and create a feel-good vibe that will invite relaxation and conversation.

Interior designer Maite Granda added a floor-to-ceiling green wall in this Florida dining room, and complemented it with bright green velvet chairs around the table.

Choose a Quiet Forest Scene

A feature wall doesn't have to be loud to make its point. This serene dining room from Louis Duncan-He Designs has a softly printed black-and-white forest wall mural that adds quiet contrast with the dramatic coffered ceiling and modern pendant light.

Build a Library Wall

Turn your dining room into an off-duty library with an accent wall outfitted with bookshelves.

Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves hug the slanted roofline and add a rainbow of colors to this dining room from Marie Flanigan Interiors.

Add a Wine Wall

Create an accent wall that is both practical and decorative by installing a floor-to-ceiling wine rack, like this dining room wine wall from Folding Chair Design Co.

Hang a Wallpaper Panel

You don't have to cover the whole wall with wallpaper or a wall mural to create a showstopping dining room accent wall.

Interior designer Courtney B. Smith hung a wall mural panel on the wall like a giant unframed painting. If you're a renter, opt for removable wallpaper.